Cauchemar
by Jennifer Hart
Summary: AU Takes place immediately after the HRT team comes running into Autopsy on Bete Noire. The aftermath of the hostage situation is worse than anyone could have anticipated.
1. Default Chapter

Don't own them, have no affiliation with them whatsoever, although I sure wish I was Gibbs' 4th and current wife!

Title: Couchemar

Classification: A/U, Drama, H/C, Angst

Spoilers: Bete Noire, Minor spoilers for My Other Left Foot, The Immortals, and Marine Down.  
Rating: PG

Warnings: Character Death

Summary: Set immediately after SWAT team comes into Autopsy on Bete Noire. The aftermath of the hostage situation is worse than anyone could have anticipated.

"He's coming around. Agent Gibbs, can you hear me?"

The silver-haired man on the stretcher stirred again, then opened his eyes. The face of the dark-haired EMT leaning over him broke into a smile. "Welcome back."

Gibbs tried to sit up, but the sharp pain in his shoulder made him cry out.

"Easy." The young paramedic put a hand on his arm. "Don't try and move too much. That bullet did a number on your shoulder. You've also got a nice gash on your head from where you hit the floor. Just relax." Gibbs tried to say something, but the oxygen mask blocked that idea. "My name is Dominique – I'm an EMT."

Gibbs pulled off the mask. "The hostages," he gasped out. Quickly Dominique pushed the mask back on.

"Don't try and talk."

Gibbs reached to pull the mask off again. "Are they okay?"

"Agent Gibbs," Dominique started to say. Gibbs moved his gaze past her shoulder, trying to see the rest of the room. People were milling around, making it hard to tell what was going on. Then someone moved and Gibbs caught sight of Gerald lying on the autopsy table, his body covered by a sheet.

Gibbs turned disbelieving eyes back to Dominique. "I'm sorry," she whispered. He bit his lip.

"Kate? Ducky?" The squeeze on his arm was answer enough. Gibbs closed his eyes, fighting back tears as Dominique gently replaced the oxygen mask.

"You got the terrorist though," Dominique said softly. "And he's going to live to stand trial."

Gibbs found himself unable to breathe, despite the oxygen going through his system. The bitter memory of his words to the terrorist flashed through his mind. "You failed."

_No,_ Gibbs thought. _I failed._

The first thing Gibbs saw when he woke up in the recovery room was Abby, sitting in a chair next to his bed, leaning against the pillow. From the look on her face, she'd cried herself to sleep.

Gibbs attempted to touch her arm in a gesture of comfort, but his arm was immobilized in a sling against his body. She'd been unable to sit on his other side because of the medical equipment.

Just then Abby jerked awake. Immediately, her eyes went to Gibbs' face and promptly filled with tears. "You're awake," she whispered. Gibbs tried to smile at her, hs mouth to dry to try and talk.

"Here." Abby grabbed a cup of ice chips from the table and gently placed one on his tongue. The cold felt good against the ache in his throat left by the anaesthetic.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked softly after the ice chip had melted.

"He shot them all in the head, probably after the second phone call," Abby answered, tears trickling down her cheeks.

Gibbs closed his eyes in frustration. "Bastard."

"That's not all." Abby's voice was barely audible. "He had an accomplice in Receiving.

Gibbs felt sick. "Tony?" he whispered.

Abby shook her head, her eyes shut tightly. "In surgery – a few hours ago." Her shoulders shook with sobs. "I never took the evidence down, Gibbs!"

"Oh, Abby." Gibbs held his good arm out. "Come here." Abby came forward and he wrapped her in a one-handed hug, letting her cry on his good shoulder.

It was about ten minutes later when a gentle voice said, "Agent Gibbs?"

Abby stood up, startled. The doctor, a young woman with short brown hair and hazel eyes stood at the foot of the bed.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but you've got a phone call, from Germany."

She placed the phone on the bed and handed Gibbs the receiver. "Hello?"

"Jethro!" the heavily accented voice came through the receiver. "I just got the news a few minutes ago. How are you doing?"

"I-I'm okay, Mirela," Gibbs answered.

"All flights are grounded right now because of a blizzard, but as soon as it lifts I'll be on my way back to the States."

"Mirela, no – it's your team's first international."

"Alexandru is here. I want to be there for you – like you were for me."

Gibbs' eyes moistened. "Thank you," he managed to say. He clapped his good hand to his forehead. "Erin. I'll…um…"

"It is okay. I have taken care of it – the pastor and his wife." She paused. "Listen, I have to go – but I'll be there soon. You-you take care. Love you."

Tears were threatening to spill over. "You too," Gibbs whispered. "You too."

After Gibbs had been settled into ICU, Dr. Kulikowski asked Abby to excuse them for a minute. When she was gone, the doctor looked at Gibbs.

"Agent Gibbs, I realize this is a difficult time for you, but there are some things we need to go over in regards to your injury."

Gibbs nodded. "I understand."

"First of all, how much do you already know about what happened to you?"

"That I was shot by the same terrorist who killed my friends and colleagues. Gibbs' voice was bitter.

"The bullet tore through your left rotator cuff," Dr. Kulikowski said quietly. "We were able to reattach the muscles and tendons in surgery, and with physiotherapy you'll be able to recover ninety-percent mobility. You'll probably have arthritis there early, but overall you'll be able to live a normal life."

Gibbs drew a deep breath. "You said ninety-percent of mobility."

The doctor nodded. "I'm afraid you won't be able to return to your previous career or any similar position in law enforcement." She sighed. "I'm sorry, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs drew another deep breath. "So am I."

The memorial service for Kate, Tony, Ducky, and Gerald was held a week later. Gibbs sat with Abby and Stan Burley as various NCIS personnel spoke words about the four deceased. Stan was one of the speakers who got up and said a few words, eyes glistening.

"It seems strange standing up here and telling stories about Ducky, when anyone who met him knew him as a story-teller." There was a murmur of laughter. "I worked my first case with Ducky seven years ago. A JAG lawyer – stabbed to death on a street in Georgetown. I had to go down with Special Agent Gibbs and hear Ducky's report on the Autopsy."

Stan shook his head. "Now I should mention that in school I was one of those students who'd take notes word for word on what my teachers said. Not point form either. Full sentences." He started laughing. "So there I am, taking notes in Autopsy, and Ducky starts off on one of his stories about a case he'd worked in Malaysia I think it was. And the whole time I was trying to figure out the tie-in between his story and our case. Well I wrote down that entire story, word for word. And you know what? There was a link. The murder victim in Malaysia and our JAG lawyer both had the first name 'Neville.'"

Laughter erupted through the Church and even Gibbs found himself chuckling. "That was Ducky for you," Stan said, smiling fondly. "But Ducky's story still helped us find the killer, because it reminded him of another case, where a killer had hid in plain sight at a crime scene, by disguising himself as one of the crime scene investigators. And it turned out our JAG lawyer's killer had done the same thing. If it hadn't been for Ducky, we never would have caught the killer."

Stan spoke for a few more minutes and then it was Gibbs' turn. Shakily, and with his good hand gripping the lectern in front of him, Gibbs faced the NCIS personnel gathered.

"I had the privilege of knowing and working directly with Tony DiNozzo during the last two years of his life," Gibbs said, struggling to keep his voice steady. "We met when we shared a joint investigation in Baltimore. A Naval aviator and his civilian girlfriend were killed in a carjacking; Agent DiNozzo was the homicide cop in charge of the scene."

Gibbs shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Tony could be a skirt-chasing, motormouth pain in the six, but he would never let a friend or coworker down, no matter what. On one case we worked together, his instincts helped us find an accomplice who was hiding in the home of the murderer when we arrested her. At the time we had not been aware of the accomplice's involvement. It's possible the accomplice would have gone free if not for Tony's instincts that there was someone else in the house."

Gibbs took a deep breath. "As most of you know, Agent Kate Todd used to be with the Secret Service. Let me be the first to say that even for the short time I knew her, the Secret Service's loss was NCIS' gain.

"Kate was always able to look at cases with a unique perspective. On one of her first assignments with NCIS, her quick thinking saved the life of the skipper on the USS Foster. She was persistent, hard-working, and one of the bravest agents I've ever had the pleasure to work with."

A sad smile crossed his face. "I worked my first case with Ducky eight years ago. He was a valued coworker and, more importantly, a good friend. I could talk to him about anything. He was there for me during some of the hardest times of my life, like a second father." Gibbs' voice grew husky. "I can't imagine NCIS without him.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay, that's all for today. Please read the chapter on interrogation tonight – we'll be discussing it tomorrow. Class dismissed."

After the last of the NCIS trainees had left the classroom, Gibbs walked over to his desk and sighed. It had been a long year.

After Gibbs had completed his rehabilitation, the Director had invited him to stay on as an NCIS Investigator. Although his shoulder would never be able to withstand the stress of firing a weapon again, he was still capable of processing crime scenes, doing research, and his former speciality, interrogation. Gibbs had declined, uncomfortable with being a team member that couldn't watch his team's back when they needed it. But when the instructor's position had opened up, he'd jumped at the chance.

It hadn't been an easy transition. The first few weeks he hadn't been able to teach a class without seeing Kate and Tony in his students' faces. But gradually, the pain had been replaced by a satisfaction in helping form the next generation of NCIS agents.

The door to the classroom opened again and a familiar figure stepped in. Gibbs felt tears prick his eyes as he stepped forward to hug the young woman. "Hey, Abbs."

"Hey, Gibbs."

Gibbs hugged her tightly. "I've missed you. It's just not the same, not having you to bring jumbo drinks to." There was so much more that wasn't the same, but neither of them could bring themselves to say it.

"How's Army CID?" Gibbs asked, after he was finally able to release her. Unable to cope with the memories or working daily with Ducky's replacement, she'd transferred a month after the incident.

Abby shrugged. "Still can't get them to let me play my music." They both smiled. "The trial starts next week," she said softly.

Gibbs nodded. He'd been asked to testify. "Stan's still going to sit with you?" Abby nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't—"

"Hey," Abby cut him off. "We both know what you're doing is more important, especially if it gets that scumsucking bottom-dweller on Death Row."

Gibbs sighed. "You're too kind, Abby." Abby shrugged.

"You up for this?" she asked gently.

"I have to be," Gibbs said quietly, his blue eyes staring out the window, but not really seeing anything. "It's all I could do for them."

-------

"Mr. Gibbs, were you working at NCIS Headquarters in Washington, DC the day of the incident in question?" Prosecutor Meg Donovan asked.

"Yes, I was."

"Tell us about that day."

"Special Agents Todd, DiNozzo, and I were investigating a planned terrorist attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Norfolk. I went to speak with Abby Sciuto, our forensics technician, regarding some of the evidence we had collected and she told me that Dr. Mallard had requested the evidence back."

"Was that unusual?"

"Yes. The Autopsy lab is not equipped to test evidence. There was nothing Dr. Mallard would have needed the evidence for, especially before it had been tested."

"What did you do?'

"I asked Abby if Dr. Mallard had said why he needed the evidence. She said he hadn't, just that she was to get it down 'stat' and that Special Agent Todd had taken it down."

"What did you do then?"

"I went over to my team's desk area and asked Special Agent DiNozzo to bring up the Autopsy Security Camera on the Plasma TV. He did, but all that came up on screen was snow."

"Then what happened?" asked Meg.

"I called the NCIS Director, advised we could have intruders in Autopsy. Asked Agent DiNozzo to pull up floor plans of the building and for him to have agents at the Receiving entrance and the elevator."

The prosecutor brought a map of NCIS over for Gibbs to examine. "Let the record reflect that I am showing the witness 'Government Exhibit F.'" She turned to Gibbs. "Would that be locations A and B on the map?"

Gibbs nodded. "Yes."

"What did you do after that?"

"I asked for Abby to find a drill and a flexible video probe. Agent DiNozzo and I clipped on radios and went down the stairwell."

"Location C on the map?"

"Yes."

"What did you see?"

Autopsy was dark and the sign indicating 'Infectious Autopsy' was lit."

"What did you do?"

"I checked in with the agents in Receiving and the elevator over the radio, and asked Agent DiNozzo to stay in the stairwell to keep an eye on Autopsy. Then I went upstairs and talked to the Director, advised him of the situation. He told me that we needed an eye in Autopsy. I went into Forensics, which is situated right above Autopsy, and drilled a hole in the floor, then inserted the flexible video probe."

"Were you able to get a screen capture of the terrorist from the video?" Meg asked.

"We were." Gibbs' voice was terse.

"Let the record reflect that I am handing the witness 'Government Exhibit G.'" Meg handed Gibbs a photo. "Was this the picture taken that day?"

Gibbs looked down at the photo and a dozen images popped into his mind. Gerald, lying on the Autopsy table. Kate. Tony. Ducky. All dead now.

Gibbs looked back up at Meg. "Yes," he replied. "Yes it is."

"Will the defendant please rise?" the judge said. The terrorist stood up with his attorney and Abby reached for Gibbs' hand.

"This court finds the defendant—guilty."

Gibbs turned to Abby and hugged her. Both had tears streaming down their cheeks. "The nightmare's over, Abbs," Gibbs whispered. "Justice is served."

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Cauchemar III

Thank you to those who informed me I had the title spelled wrong – that error has been corrected. This is Part 3 of 4

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Isn't this great, Uncle Jethro?" Erin cried, her little feet wobbling in her skates.

Gibbs smiled down at the seven-year-old. It was a couple of days after the trial and Gibbs had taken Mirela and Alexandru's daughter to the skating rink for the afternoon. "Yeah, it is, Erin," he said, squeezing her hand. "Ready to go around again?" She nodded enthusiastically.

They were coming around the bend when another skater came flying towards them out of control. Gibbs managed to shove Erin out of the way just as the skater crashed into him. The impact threw Gibbs backwards against the boards, his left shoulder taking the brunt of the hit and he cried out. His vision started to dim and he was semi-conscious of people's voices around him. Then everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

"Gibbs?" A hand gently touched his arm. "Gibbs, it's Abby. Can you hear me?"

Gibbs opened his eyes to see Abby smiling at him over the right hand rail of the hospital bed. He looked quickly at his left shoulder and groaned at the sight of gauze and sling that encased it. "We have got to stop meeting like this," he moaned.

"Both shoulders injured in a two month period," a familiar voice said form his left. "I'd say that's an NCIS record."

Gibbs jerked his head around, and felt himself start shaking. This wasn't—couldn't be happening.

"Ducky?" The coroner nodded, smiling. "What…how…You're dead!"

"Easy, Jethro," Ducky put a light hand on Gibbs' wrist. "Get the doctor, Abby."

Gibbs frowned. "Doctor…"

"Dear boy, you've been unconscious the past two days. We weren't sure you were going to make it."

"What?'

"The bullet struck an artery," Ducky's voice was gentle. "We almost lost you."

"Agent Gibbs?!" Dr. Kulikowski came in, smiling with relief. "Good to have you back among the living."

"I'm afraid he's got a bit of amnesia, Doctor," Ducky said.

"That's to be expected with the trauma," Dr. Kulikowski assured. "What exactly can't you remember?"

"Well, to start with, what exactly happened after that bastard shot me?"

"Well, as I said, the bullet hit an artery. The doctors had to perform emergency surgery. The good news is that's the only vital damage it did," Ducky told him.

"So I'll be able to go back to work?" Gibbs questioned.

"You'll be pulling desk duty for a little while, but yes, you will," Dr. Kulikowski confirmed.

Gibbs turned to Ducky. "What happened to you?" he whispered.

"The terrorist had Kate and I in the body cooler," Ducky said gently.

"Then Kate's—" Gibbs couldn't finish the sentence.

"Just fine," Ducky said reassuringly. "She's visiting Gerald at the moment." Ducky's face sobered. "I'm afraid he wasn't as lucky. The lad's got a long road of rehab ahead of him." The coroner smiled again. "You got the terrorist, though. I weighed the bastard's liver last night."

"What about Tony?" Gibbs said softly. "Is he alive?"

"Alive? Of course, Jethro. Why do you ask?" Ducky looked in concern at Gibbs' blue eyes, which had suddenly started to glisten. "Son, are you all right?"

Gibbs bit his lip, then reached out and gripped the older man's hand – much to his and Ducky's surprise. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Gibbs managed a smile. "Just a little Bete Noire."

Ducky reached down and smoothed part of Gibbs' hair back from his forehead in a fatherly gesture. "The nightmare's over now, Jethro," Ducky said softly. "The nightmare's over."

THE END

Author's Note: 'Couchemar' is also French for nightmare.


End file.
